2016 All Ireland U-21 football championship

[seafoid]

Can't wait for the Ros match.

[Ohtoohtobe]

Good Kildare squad on paper but I'm ferociously worried about Offaly first up. Get over that and I'd say we have a right chance of winning Leinster but that first game will be extremely tight I'd imagine.

The other interesting thing is Meath throwing away home advantage against Dublin without a fight. Unless there are finer points to the issue I'm unaware of. If they agreed to the change as easily as I think they did it's completely baffling.

[Il Bomber Destro]

The Ulster side of the draw is very lopsided.

Tyrone last year's U21 AI champs.
Cavan who won the three previous and were on the Ulster minor final last year.
Derry who won an Ulster minor title last year.
Donegal who have been in the last two Ulster u21 finals and contested an AI minor final 2 years ago.

Monaghan should make the final on their side of the draw but you would suspect they would start underdogs against any of the other four teams in the final.

[Dinny Breen]

Good Kildare squad on paper but I'm ferociously worried about Offaly first up. Get over that and I'd say we have a right chance of winning Leinster but that first game will be extremely tight I'd imagine.

The other interesting thing is Meath throwing away home advantage against Dublin without a fight. Unless there are finer points to the issue I'm unaware of. If they agreed to the change as easily as I think they did it's completely baffling.

Old Meath



New Meath

[heffo]

The other interesting thing is Meath throwing away home advantage against Dublin without a fight. Unless there are finer points to the issue I'm unaware of. If they agreed to the change as easily as I think they did it's completely baffling.

The finer point is that they entered a Wednesday night competition without an IC venue with lights - that's fundamental stumbling block #1

[Dinny Breen]

The other interesting thing is Meath throwing away home advantage against Dublin without a fight. Unless there are finer points to the issue I'm unaware of. If they agreed to the change as easily as I think they did it's completely baffling.

The finer point is that they entered a Wednesday night competition without an IC venue with lights - that's fundamental stumbling block #1

Is that set in stone for Leinster?

[Sleater]

The Ulster side of the draw is very lopsided.

Tyrone last year's U21 AI champs.
Cavan who won the three previous and were on the Ulster minor final last year.
Derry who won an Ulster minor title last year.
Donegal who have been in the last two Ulster u21 finals and contested an AI minor final 2 years ago.

Monaghan should make the final on their side of the draw but you would suspect they would start underdogs against any of the other four teams in the final.

Tyrone or Donegal should make it to the ulster final and both would be considered favourites if they got there. Monaghan should make the final from the other side of the draw. The latter group of Monaghan players won the 2013 ulster minor double so they are legitimate contenders too.

[heffo]

The other interesting thing is Meath throwing away home advantage against Dublin without a fight. Unless there are finer points to the issue I'm unaware of. If they agreed to the change as easily as I think they did it's completely baffling.

The finer point is that they entered a Wednesday night competition without an IC venue with lights - that's fundamental stumbling block #1

Is that set in stone for Leinster?

To the best of my knowledge yes - can't remember there being a non-Wednesday night game in a very long time.

[Dinny Breen]

The other interesting thing is Meath throwing away home advantage against Dublin without a fight. Unless there are finer points to the issue I'm unaware of. If they agreed to the change as easily as I think they did it's completely baffling.

The finer point is that they entered a Wednesday night competition without an IC venue with lights - that's fundamental stumbling block #1

Is that set in stone for Leinster?

To the best of my knowledge yes - can't remember there being a non-Wednesday night game in a very long time.

I knew there was restrictions around H&S, for example Offaly can't use Gracefield just surprised there is no flexibility around weekend dates. It makes sense at one level but then the AI semi-final and final are played on Saturdays.

[Esmarelda]

Are many of last year's Tyrone team under age this year?

[heffo]

The other interesting thing is Meath throwing away home advantage against Dublin without a fight. Unless there are finer points to the issue I'm unaware of. If they agreed to the change as easily as I think they did it's completely baffling.

The finer point is that they entered a Wednesday night competition without an IC venue with lights - that's fundamental stumbling block #1

Is that set in stone for Leinster?

To the best of my knowledge yes - can't remember there being a non-Wednesday night game in a very long time.

I knew there was restrictions around H&S, for example Offaly can't use Gracefield just surprised there is no flexibility around weekend dates. It makes sense at one level but then the AI semi-final and final are played on Saturdays.

I'd imagine it's to not interfere with a crowded schedule

[TF15]

Tyrone have Goalkeeper (Fox), two midfielders (Burns and McShane), CHF (Kavanagh), Corner forward (Brennan) who started last years final I think. McGlone also played that final as a sub if memory serves me. There's a couple of other fellas who were on the panel last year too. It's a good team but not as good as last years AI winners IMO. The best player at minor in this team is in Oz playing AFL (Conor McKenna) but I still think Ulster is achievable and who knows after that.

[Dinny Breen]

The other interesting thing is Meath throwing away home advantage against Dublin without a fight. Unless there are finer points to the issue I'm unaware of. If they agreed to the change as easily as I think they did it's completely baffling.

The finer point is that they entered a Wednesday night competition without an IC venue with lights - that's fundamental stumbling block #1

Is that set in stone for Leinster?

To the best of my knowledge yes - can't remember there being a non-Wednesday night game in a very long time.

I knew there was restrictions around H&S, for example Offaly can't use Gracefield just surprised there is no flexibility around weekend dates. It makes sense at one level but then the AI semi-final and final are played on Saturdays.

I'd imagine it's to not interfere with a crowded schedule

True but the last two weekends were free...

[Esmarelda]

Tyrone have Goalkeeper (Fox), two midfielders (Burns and McShane), CHF (Kavanagh), Corner forward (Brennan) who started last years final I think. McGlone also played that final as a sub if memory serves me. There's a couple of other fellas who were on the panel last year too. It's a good team but not as good as last years AI winners IMO. The best player at minor in this team is in Oz playing AFL (Conor McKenna) but I still think Ulster is achievable and who knows after that.

Interesting. Not that many. I was just wondering where the strong feeling of them being favourites came from.

[Maroon Manc]

Seem to remember Galway having over half the team that won in 2013 available in 2014 but ended up getting beat by Leitrim.

On paper Galway have a decent team this year, Mayo minors beat Galway in extra time in 2013 and threw it away against Mayo in 2014 and last year the minors won Connacht.

If I remember correctly Roscommon could easily have beaten Mayo in 2013 but the Roscommon lot on here don't seem very confident this year.